The present invention relates to the field of writing instruments, e.g., pens, markers, pencils, colored pencils, etc. In particular, the present invention relates to the field of writing instruments that write in a colored ink. The present invention provides a pen or writing instrument for which the user can control the color of the ink, i.e., the color in which the pen writes.
Writing instruments have been important to mankind for millennia. Writing instruments allow people to record thoughts, events and ideas. Writing instruments allow people to draw diagrams, illustrate text and create works of art.
Modern writing instruments, including pens, pencils, markers, etc., that allow users to write and draw anything they can imagine. Traditionally, writing instruments have made a black or dark line on a white background, e.g., a piece of paper.
However, writing instruments can also make use of color. For example, pens may come in a variety of colors, such as black, blue, red or green. Markers and colored pencils often come in sets that include a marker or pencil for each major color in the spectrum.
The introduction of color in writing instruments has many uses. Written text can be rendered in several colors for emphasis or artistic reasons. Drawings can be prepared in color to convey additional information through the use of color or for aesthetic reasons. Text in one color can be edited in a second color so that the changes are easily identified.
Given the many uses of color in working with a writing instrument, it will be obvious that users would prefer to be able to readily choose the color written by their writing instrument. In the past, this has been accomplished, as indicated above, by providing a set of differently colored writing instruments: pens, markers or colored pencils; so that a user can select at will from the set and write in the desired color. This, however, requires the user to purchase and carry or store the complete set of writing instruments so as to be able to work in a range of colors.
As an alternative, there have been some pens that include several ink tubes with differently colored ink in each tube. By extending the writing end of a particular tube from the pen casing, the pen can be made to write in a particular color. The color of the pen is then changed by retracting that tube and extending another tube containing differently colored ink. In this way, a single writing instrument can be made to write in two or three or more different colors.
While such pens to provide multiple colors in a single writing instrument, the number of colors available is still limited. As more color options are added to such a pen, the fatter and bulkier the pen becomes. Consequently, there are likely to be far fewer colors available in such a pen than would be available if the writer were using a set of differently colored pens or markers.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for a writing instrument that, in a relatively compact package, provides users with a wide variety of different colors in which the instrument can write.
The present invention provides, among other things, a hand-held writing instrument for writing in a user-controlled color. The writing instrument preferably includes an ink cartridge with at least three ink chambers, each chamber for holding a different color ink; nozzles connected to the ink chambers for releasing ink from the chambers in a controlled ratio; and a processor connected to and controlling release of ink through the nozzles. The ink cartridge, ink jet nozzles and processor are all preferably incorporated into an elongated housing of the hand-held writing instrument.
A transfer member may be used for receiving ink from the nozzles and transferring the ink to a writing surface. Optionally, a mixing chamber may be used into which ink from the nozzles is released for mixing. If a mixing chamber is used, a sensor may be employed to sense ink in the mixing chamber and output a signal to the processor indicative of the amount of ink in the mixing chamber.
A color input interface may be included on the writing instrument through which a user can specify the output color for the writing instrument. The output color is then created by mixing ink from the ink chambers in the appropriate controlled ratio. In one embodiment, the color input interface may include three buttons, each button corresponding to one of the ink chambers and a color of ink contained therein.
Additionally or alternatively, the writing instrument may employ a scanner, connected to the processor, for sampling a color and outputting to the processor a specified ratio of three basic color components making up the sampled color. The processor then uses the specified ratio as the controlled ratio for releasing ink from the ink chambers to duplicate the sampled color with the writing instrument.
Additionally or alternatively, the writing instrument may include an interface between the writing instrument and a host electronic device for receiving from the host device a specification of the controlled ratio, i.e., the desired output color. This interface may be, for example, a radio frequency wireless interface, an infrared wireless interface or a wired interface. The host device may be, for example, a computer or a personal digital assistant.
The present invention also encompasses the method of making and using the above-described writing instrument. For example, the present invention encompasses a method of controlling the output color of a hand-held writing instrument by mixing differently colored inks from three ink chambers within an elongated housing of the hand-held writing instrument, the inks being mixed in a controlled ratio to prepare an output ink of the desired output color.